Officials: US drone strike kills 5 in NW Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani intelligence officials say a suspected U.S. drone strike has killed five people in the tribal region near the Afghan border.

They say two missiles hit the Shawal area of North Waziristan Sunday evening when the men were crossing on foot into Pakistani territory from Afghanistan.

The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.

Advertisement

They said the men have not been identified.

North Waziristan is home to a mix of Pakistani, Afghan and al-Qaida-linked foreign militants.

The U.S. drone program is a source of extreme tension between the two countries. Washington says it needs to send drones after dangerous militants because the Pakistani government refuses to engage them militarily. Pakistan charges that the drone strikes are a violation of its sovereignty.